


You're the Boss

by skeeviejeevie



Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Independent New Vegas (Fallout), Post-Canon, excessive sarcasm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2020-06-09 20:39:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19483594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skeeviejeevie/pseuds/skeeviejeevie
Summary: Galleon is the savior/destroyer of the Mojave, depending on who you ask. To Raul, she's just the crazy lady who rescued him from Utobitha.Set a few years after the Courier created an independent Vegas. Fair warning: will probably take forever to update.





	1. The Panther Woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galleon rescues a less-than-chipper damsel in distress.

There are sounds of extreme violence outside his door again. Raul tries not to get too hopeful. After all these years, it'd be shocking if some brave fool even managed to get to the top of the mountain, let alone rescue him.

No, it’s far more likely that some unfortunate traveler took the wrong path. Or maybe one of their freaky centaur pets got too boring. Whatever it was wouldn't survive for long. 

The ghoul twists a bolt on the machine he's working on. No shortage of work in Utobitha. He tunes the outside world out, hums an old Spanish song over the screams and the never-ending drone of Tabitha's radio station. 

There, that should do it. He presses a button and the machine springs back to life. As he takes a moment to admire his handiwork, he notices the silence. The signal is off. Not one mutant is yelling. 

He freezes and listens for a long time. There is no way to tell if what's outside is friend or foe. Raul's not willing to bet his life, so he stays silent. Nothing seems to move, and he begins to suspect whatever it was has left, relaxing incrementally. 

Suddenly someone kicks the building door open. The steady tap of keys on the terminal outside. Someone singing to themselves, low and soft. He can't make out the words. 

His door opens almost immediately with a resounding click, deafening in the eerie silence. Standing in the doorway is an impossibly tall woman, her face and armor streaked with blood. She's all muscle, dark skin, and tightly coiled energy. _Como una pantera_ , he thinks. 

Her head is completely shaved, showing off a particularly nasty scar. There are a couple more scars scattered across her face, but there's something different about that one. It should've killed her. She scans the room for a moment, holding a heavy machinegun tightly. After confirming it's just him, she gives him a wide smile, loosening the grip ever so slightly. A tooth here and there is missing or chipped. 

The panther woman advances into the room, boots making loud clicks on the ancient linoleum. Raul spots a revolver on her hip, a pistol strapped to her ankle. She is headed directly for his desk, but he cannot think or speak, let alone move. 

She is terrifying. The energy she radiates is heavy, smothering. It's all easy confidence and power, seeping from her in thick waves. 

She reaches his desk and stares him down with steely grey eyes. 

"No need to thank me gratuitously, of course. Not like I just saved you from an army of Super Mutants. Please, feel free to just sit there and stare." 

It takes Raul several painfully long seconds to process this. The disconnect between her image and her tone is jarring. Her voice is raspy, charred. Mocking. His mind finally snaps back as her scent, sweat and blood and death, hits him full in the face. She is far too close. 

"What, were you expecting me to get on my knees? I’m way too old for that, _hermana _.”__

____

____

"Really? I think you’d rather enjoy being on your knees for me.” 

Raul laughs for the first time in years. Cheeky kid. 

She flashes another smile before letting out a low whistle. An eyebot wanders into the room and calls out a series of beeps. The woman turns to it sharply and gasps, "ED-E! What did I tell you about swearing in front of strangers?” 

The robot twitters a bit more, and Raul thinks for a moment that it sounds remorseful, before he shakes the notion out of his head. The robot, admonished, floats over to a pile of scrap in the corner. The panther woman looks back at Raul. 

"Full disclosure, we did let the one in the bad wig go though. Fixed her bot up and suddenly she was as sweet as sarsaparilla. Felt bad for her. Hope she doesn’t get up to anything too evil out there.” 

"Sure, sure, who wouldn't feel bad for the crazy Nightkin who kept me prisoner for years? Just let her out into the world. I'm sure that won't have any negative consequences.” 

The woman lets out a laugh like a witch's cackle. 

"You got a real mouth on you, _papi _. Can’t you think of anything better to do with it?”__

__Raul coughs._ _

__"My name. Is Raul Alfonso Tejada," Raul pauses, "Thanks for freeing me.”_ _

__She smiles again, extends her hand._ _

__"I'm Galleon. Nice to meet you, Tejada."_ _

__Raul shakes her hand; it's rough, nearly as calloused as his own. It strikes him that this is the first time he’s touched anyone in years. Longer even, since he’s touched a woman._ _

__"Like the ship? Man, and I thought they gave kids weird names in my day.”_ _

__"Nickname. Mojave Express gave it to me 'cause I was the fastest and the most reliable," she taps the scar on her head, "Nothing stops me from getting what I want."_ _

__"Yeah, I can see that. You still got lead rattling around your skull or something? Running in here with just that old hunk of junk.”_ _

__ED-E retorts with a series of angry sounding beeps. Galleon lets him slide this time, lost in thought. She’s put a hand to her chin, taking Raul’s question seriously._ _

__"You know, I don't really know! Never did think to ask the doc what he did in there. Plus, there was that whole Big Empty fiasco. Might explain some of my decisions in ‘81.”_ _

__She laughs again, but it sounds bitter, not the free raucous laughter from before. Raul instantly regrets making the joke._ _

__Galleon whistles again, and ED-E leaves the scrap behind to hover at her side. He gets the strangest idea that the robot is glaring at him._ _

__“Anyway. I got other shit to do. Lots of people being held captive, you know. See you around, Tejada. You get in trouble again, ask just about anyone where the Galleon is docked."_ _

__He's about to ask her why everyone should know where she lives, but her and the strange little robot disappear in a flash. Hesitating for a moment, lost in his sad little shack, Raul reluctantly begins to gather supplies._ _


	2. ¡Vegas, Bebe!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens in New Vegas reverberates throughout the Mojave.

It does not take him long to hear of Galleon again. Barely a week into his renewed aimless journey and the strange woman is all he hears about. The warrior who defeated the NCR and the Legion in one bloody day. The woman who crawled out of the grave for revenge. The child raised by the desert.  


At trading posts, towns, campsites. Once a stranger crossing his path simply yelled, "Long live Galleon!" at him. Raul nodded and waved.  


Raul’s pride refuses to let him ask where she “docks”, but he doesn't have to. He hears everything about her, the Mojave stringing together her entire life for him. Galleon and her "Armada" are everyone's favorite topics.  


The first time he mentions she saved him he is shocked to be bombarded with questions. Was the bot there? Is the scar as bad as they say? Was she wearing the duster? Even the people who say he's lying listen carefully to his odd encounter with the savior of the Mojave.  


No one is as surprised as him when he finds himself standing at the entrance to New Vegas. Galleon is more relaxed about entering the city than the late Mr. House; to the displeasure of many, the entrance fee is practically a pittance.  


Galleon opened up the Lucky 38's casino a few years before she found Raul. Some people say she lets folks stay there if they need it; others say the bots fill visitors with lead if they get near the elevator. That's the way most stories about Galleon go. Either she's the bloodthirsty fiend who cursed the Mojave or she's a forgiving angel who saved it. He’s left with no real idea of who his savior is.  


Raul isn't sure what he's looking for. Standing there now, staring up at the bright Lucky 38 sign, he feels foolish. There is no chance that famous, beautiful, deadly woman remembers him. And even if she did, what does he want from her?  


He turns away.  


A Nightkin in a sunhat and flowery apron is staring at him.  


"Hello, dear. Quite a sunburn you've got! Aren't you going in to play? My granddaughter did such a wonderful job fixing it up, it would be a shame if you missed out."  


She clamps a massive hand down on his shoulder and spins him around.  


"Hey, hey, now lady, don't—" she lifts him slightly to get him over each step, "Please don't ask me to fix your toaster."  


"Toaster? What an odd thing to say! You're not all there, are you? That's alright, dearie, neither am I."  


" _I’m_ not?" Raul can't help but laugh, even as she pushes him through the doors. The receptionist (human, a good sign, he hopes) greets them cheerfully as though he is not being half-drug half-carried by a Nightkin

"New friend, Lily? Put him down for now, Gal’s been looking for you, she’s waiting upstairs." 

The Nightkin—Lily—instantly releases him.  


"Oh, okay. I'll be right up."  


Raul watches incredulously as Lily walks straight past the guarded elevator and waves at him behind its closing doors. 

The receptionist appears with a handful of chips.  


"Sorry about that! Lily gets a little confused, but she’s nothing to be worried about. Galleon sets these chips aside for anyone who might get offended," she says this last word pointedly, "I hope this makes up for it!" 

"Offended? Yeah, sure, that’s what I am."  


He accepts the receptionist’s offer—20 chips. Not much of an apology for being manhandled. The casino is packed, full of gamblers and a few Securitrons. Raul wanders over to the slot machines. 

Slot machines are pretty much like how he remembers: unforgiving. He loses his free chips quickly and doesn’t feel like spending caps to get more. He's preparing to leave when he notices the receptionist from earlier pointing him out to a concerned looking Galleon. Raul stiffens. 

Galleon looks good out of armor, dressed in a Pre-War cocktail dress and surprisingly blood-free. Despite the change of scenery and clothing, she’s still full of tightly-wound energy. As she advances across the floor towards him, stopping here and there to greet familiar faces by name, Raul can’t help but think she may as well still have the machinegun clutched in her hand. 

“Didn’t take you long to find me, huh, _papi_?” 

“What makes you think I’m here for you? Maybe I just like feeding slot machines my hard-earned caps.” 

Galleon lets out a low, throaty chuckle.  


“Much as I count on people like that comin’ into my town, I don’t think you’re one of them. You need my help again?”  


“Yes,” he answers immediately, before cursing himself out mentally. What does he need?  


Galleon leans back against the slot machine and watches him for a moment. Her eyes are bright and excited, eager to help.  


"Well? What do I get to kill?”  


“I—uh. I’m,” Raul draws in a long breath, “lost.”  


She laughs again, tilting her head back and letting the sound tear out of her from deep within.  


“ _Papi_ , you can ask anyone for directions. Just ‘cause I got this Pip-Boy don’t mean I know the whole desert.” 

"Not that kind of lost. I don’t. Know where to go from here. I don’t have anything. If you had asked that day, I would’ve just followed you around ‘till you got bored of me. And now I went and followed you here like some lost puppy. I don't know how to make sense of this world anymore.”  


Galleon grins at what Raul thinks must be the most inappropriate time to do so. He starts to rise but she puts a firm hand on his shoulder, pushing him back down with ease. 

“Now, how’d you figure I got a soft spot for the lost ones? You ever set sail, _papi_?” 


	3. Spurs That Jingle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's surprisingly easy to fit into Galleon's patchwork family; it's harder to work for her.

Raul finds out that working for Galleon is hard work. She brings him on trips with her sometimes, but mostly she lets him stay behind and help maintain the city. It suits him fine; getting shot at by raiders isn’t exactly his idea of a good day.  


So he hustles around New Vegas, fixing signs, checking electricity, helping Yes Man perform manual maintenance of the Securitrons—though it takes the robot many times to convince him to do so. Galleon doesn't allow him to make any excuses when he cuts corners; she expects as much from him as she does everyone else.  


Galleon’s strange group absorbs him as one of their own easily; by the end of Raul's first week in the Lucky 38, he’s made inside jokes with Veronica and can even understand some of ED-E’s beeps. They're all incredibly different people, but their love for Galleon extends to anyone she allows into the Armada.  


Galleon has the Armada set up between the Presidential Suite and the penthouse. Her and Yes Man figured out the elevator before Raul was rescued; several floors now function as housing, workshops, and production centers. She doesn't trust the wastelanders with weapons though, and the top two floors remain inaccessible to those outside her circle. 

Still, it's more help than House ever provided. Not that he has firsthand knowledge, it's just what Arcade tells him. 

Galleon requires everyone to be present at breakfast every day, unless someone had business elsewhere. Raul's not sure what would happen if he missed one, but he finds he doesn't even mind waking up at the crack of dawn for it—not that he doesn't complain every chance he gets. 

This morning, they're all seated around the penthouse dining table, picking at the horrific concoction Galleon's created. Though she's no cook, she insists on occasionally forcing her food upon them. Most of the time they Armada lucks out and Arcade's beaten her to the kitchen. She's laughing again, tears at the corners of her eyes at some quippy exchange between Arcade and Veronica. The light in the penthouse hits her in such a way that she almost seems to glow, her scars glistening against her dark skin. Raul can't stop staring or grinning.

Galleon calms down and catches Raul watching her. She grins, looking exactly like a painting of a jackal he once saw in Mexico. Despite this, something like a blush creeps into Raul's face, so he averts his gaze and quickly makes conversation with Cass. She watches him for a while longer before Arcade distracts her. 

The rest of breakfast is relatively unremarkable; Raul spends it avoiding catching Galleon's eye again. Raul watches the Armada dissolve as they go to work on whatever tasks Galleon's given them (aside from Rex and ED-E, who begin chasing each other about in the living room). The old ghoul pretends to be busy examining the pre-war books House left behind, trying to regain his composure. 

Galleon sidles up to him, a hair too close for comfort. He shuffles slightly to the side and she laughs; the loud sound causes him to blush again. If Galleon notices, she doesn't say anything. Instead, she busies herself selecting a book from the bottom shelf. Raul pretends to not notice her ass. She pops up abruptly and proudly presents the novel with a cheeky grin. 

" _Little Women_? I'm not exactly either of these, you know."

Galleon laughs, punches him in the arm. It stings slightly and he resists the urge to rub it. 

"It's a classic, _papi_. At least I think it is. It's old as shit, like you, so it must be. You'll like it, trust me." 

"Yeah, sure. I'll see if my classic eyes can stand reading it while you got me running around town. Speaking of, what am I doing today?" 

"Today, my fine ghoulish friend, you and I are gonna finish up working on the Securitrons, 'cause tomorrow I want you with me. I need you to pack for at least two weeks, maybe more." 

Galleon flashes her trademark grin and begins walking away before Raul can respond. She's already a few feet ahead of him, heading for Yes man's terminal when he speaks. 

"Hang on, you're workin' with me? Aren't you supposed to be shooting raiders or playing Russian roulette? And why do I have to go getting my old ass shot at tomorrow when all Cass does is go around sitting on faces?" 

She stops in her tracks and spins around, her entire posture shifting in an instant to the intense strength he recognizes from their first meeting. 

"First, Cass is a people person, unlike certain friends of mine. Her intel is vital to the operation of Vegas." 

Galleon is uncharacteristically serious; her dark eyes stare Raul down, causing sweat to form at the back of his neck. 

"Second, if I work on the bots today you can't lie and say you can't go because you didn't have enough time to finish your work." 

_Mierda_ , he thinks, _how'd she know I was going to do that_? 

"Besides, who do you think was working on them before you got here? I may look like I'm just the muscle but I got brains to spare, _papi_ ," she laughs as she adds, "Or at least I did." 

Galleon doesn't wait for him to respond; when she reaches Yes Man, they have a quick conversation about which robots need to be looked at manually.

Conversation done, with the issues flagged in her notes, Galleon brushes past Raul to get to the elevator and he follows.

"Voy a morir para ti..." He grumbles. 

"You are way too old to act like a baby. I'm not gonna let you die."

Galleon enters the rickety elevator with Raul close behind. ED-E and Rex leap in at the last second. Raul shuffles as the doors close; Galleon whistles. 

"So, uh, you speak Spanish?" 

"What, you thought I only knew _papi_?" Galleon laughs, "I used to do a lot of work down south. Plus my mom was Mexican. Not that she was around long enough to teach me much." 

Raul tries to gauge her expression, but she's a step ahead of him. He only sees her smile disappear for a second before she goes back to whistling. 

The elevator doors open and the duo step into the busy casino lounge, non-human companions close behind.


	4. Smoke Rings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galleon marches Raul through her desert.

"This sucks, boss. Doesn't it make you feel bad, making an old man run around the desert?"

They have been walking for all of an hour. Galleon has most of the gear with her and ED-E up front; Raul shuffles several feet behind her carrying a light backpack. 

"Mm, not really? Maybe if you acted your age I would, but I know you can put up with a lot more abuse." 

"Oh, sure, keep pushing my limits. When you bury me, can you make sure I get a nice headstone? Carve my handsome mug into it." 

Galleon laughs at that, turning around to twist her expression into mock dismay, placing her hands over her heart. 

"Good thing I already have my eulogy planned out. 'Raul may have been a real _pendejo_ , but he was one of the better ones. Sure, he was whiny, sarcastic, bitter, constantly complaining, but...well...he didn't deserve to get ripped apart by that Deathclaw. At least not the second time.'" 

At the end of her speech, Galleon dramatically wipes false tears from her eyes before cackling wildly. ED-E chirps something resembling laughter. She turns back to the ruined road, continuing on without waiting for him. Raul makes a half-hearted attempt to speed up. 

"Shit, boss, you're making me all teary-eyed." 

"My true calling is poetry." 

"Yeah, and mine is stripping." 

"I'd pay to see that." 

Raul laughs wildly, but Galleon doesn't join him this time. When he calms down, she speaks. 

"Wasn't joking." 

Raul feels heat rise to his face. 

"It's not nice to tease an old man like that, León." 

" _Papi_ , if I was teasing you it'd be going on for a helluva lot longer and you'd be having a lot more fun." 

Raul tugs his collar nervously and stays silent for the next half hour. Galleon doesn't seem to mind; she whistles quietly to herself, focused on her surroundings. ED-E alternates between flying around Raul's head in circles and hovering beside Galleon. 

Things have gotten quieter in the desert under Galleon—the Fiends crumbled without their leaders and she's gotten a mix of Securitrons and mercs patrolling the main roads. There are few dangers left in Galleon's Mojave. Despite this, she keeps her hands close to the pistol on her hip at all times. 

As noon approaches, they come across a gas station, the chain name too faded to read. Galleon stops dead in her tracks. 

"We'll rest here for a bit, since you like to pretend you're fragile. Sit tight, me and ED-E will make sure the building's clear." 

"I-uh, I can help check." 

Galleon raises an eyebrow and shares a look with ED-E; the eyebot beeps in response, causing Galleon to shrug as she looks back at him. 

"So long as you don't complain about your back after. Me and ED-E usually just barge in through the front, that good with you?" 

"I don't have a death wish anymore, so no." 

"Live a little, babe. Where's the fun in sneaking around?" 

Raul rolls his eyes, "The part where we're still alive after?" 

Galleon dismisses that with a wave of her hand and a grunt. ED-E mimicks her, beeping and shaking itself out. 

"You're taking all the fun outta this." 

She turns on her heel and strides towards the front door, ED-E close behind. Raul shuffles after her, drawing his pistol. Galleon keeps hers at her hips. 

Galleon tenses next to the door for a few seconds before slowly twisting the knob. It's unlocked; she grins and easily kicks it open, hands above her hips, Raul hovering anxiously behind her. ED-E charges in above them. 

The station's empty. 

"Well...that's anticlimactic." 

"I'd take anticlimactic over dead any day, boss." 

Galleon huffs in response. The door to the backroom is open; ED-E floats in and back almost immediately. Nothing there either. ED-E makes lazy circles in the air above them, letting out sad little beeps. 

Galleon disappears into the back and reappears with a dusty chair. She sets it against the wall and dramatically bows, hands outstretched, presenting it to Raul. He hesitates before practically collapsing onto it, his bag falling down beside him. 

"Thanks, boss." 

Galleon nods; she busies herself scanning the mostly empty shelves. Raul heaves a great sigh as he leans back and closes his eyes. 

When he opens them again, Galleon is sitting on the counter smoking, one knee supporting her head. Her other leg is dangling over the counter, kicking slightly. At some point she had taken off her shoes. She's watching him with bright eyes. 

"Hey there, sleeping beauty." 

Raul grumbles and stretches his arms above his head. 

"You mind blowing your smoke outside boss? I didn't live this long to die of cancer." 

Galleon laughs, "Secondhand smoke's the least dangerous thing I can give you, _papi_.

She blows a perfect smoke ring directly at his face. He wrinkles his nose and waves his hand in front of his face. 

"I don't doubt that. How long was I sleeping?" 

Galleon glances at her wrist. "'Bout two and a half hours?" 

"Shit, why'd you let me sleep so long?" 

"You looked so cute I couldn't bear to wake ya." 

Galleon hops off the counter and puts her cigarette out. She extends her hand towards Raul. He takes it and she pulls him easily to his feet, a hair too close to her face. 

Galleon watches his expression closely; they're practically the same height, Raul has maybe half an inch on her. After a moment she adjusts his collar, tucking it in neatly. Her fingers rest on his collarbones. Raul isn't sure where to look. He can feel his face getting warmer and he's doing his best to look somewhere that isn't dangerous—anywhere but her eyes, her neck, her lips. 

"Raul." 

He raises his eyes nervously. She's staring at him, perfectly still. Raul's mouth feels dry. They breathe in unison. ED-E hums dimly in a corner. 

"We gotta go." 

Raul blinks hard. "What?" 

Galleon steps back, reaches around the counter for her boots. She pulls them on silently. Raul watches her, violently confused. Galleon glances back up as she's lacing her second boot. 

"Come on, get your bag. If we leave now we can make it to the site by sundown. And don't complain about being hungry, I have snacks to tide you over." 

Raul hesitates for several long moments before slowly picking up his bag. By the time he's gotten it slung over his shoulders, Galleon's fully strapped to her hers and is standing in the doorframe. ED-E hovers next to her. 

"You're gonna like this next part."


	5. The Next Part

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not every day the woman of your dreams makes you climb a damn mountain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for very quick description of sexual assault (unwanted advance) and murder, neither instance is very graphic. Also! Happy Holidays :^)

"So naturally I tell the guy that if he doesn't wanna pay me full price for half a body then he can either watch me snap his wrists like twigs or he can quit being pedantic but either way I'm getting my caps." 

"Pedantic? Where'd you learn a word like that, boss?" 

"Told ya, I'm a poet at heart." 

"Yeah, sure. So did he pay up?" 

"With a 30% tip." 

The sun hangs low over the desert, threatening to dip below the horizon. They've been climbing up a steep cliff path for half an hour; at regular intervals, Raul combines all the Spanish and English curses he can think of together. At equally regular intervals, Galleon insists the view will be worth it. ED-E chimes in occasionally, nudging Raul forward when he slows down. 

Eventually the trio reaches the summit, revealing a plateau offering a 360 degree view of the desert. Rocks are arranged in a circle in the center for a campfire; aside from the occasional random rock, there is nothing here. ED-E chirps and lowers itself onto a flat rock rock a few feet from the campfire site. It makes a couple tired sounding beeps and falls silent. Raul glances from the eyebot to Galleon. 

She shrugs exaggeratedly, cocking her head to the right and lifting her palms. 

"He likes his rock." 

"I can see that. Is... _he_...gonna get back up?" 

"At around dawn. Don't worry, his danger sensors still work on sleep mode. Fun fact: testing that feature out is how I got the scar on my left shoulder. Only took a couple more tries before I figured the programming out." 

Galleon dumps her bag beside the firepit and squats down to start a fire. Raul drops his pack beside hers and plops down onto his back gracelessly. He waits several minutes before he heaves a great sigh and rolls to sit up; by the time he finally does, the fire is already roaring and Galleon's digging in her pack, whistling. 

Raul grumbles as he watches her. 

"All that for a view of sand. Great use of the little time I have left, boss." 

Galleon returns to the fire with a variety of cans and her trademark grin. 

"You know, Raul, you'd be prettier if you were quiet. Maybe I wouldn't like you as much, but I'd enjoy the view more." 

"Right, cause I'm so gorgeous now." 

"Exactly. But you _could_ be prettier." 

Raul laughs, a raspy little chuckle. Galleon sits down across from him, setting the food to the side. He doesn't say anything, for once, just busies himself taking cans from her and opening them. 

"You don't believe me, _papi_?" 

Raul laughs again. 

"Only way I'm getting prettier is a time machine, León. I don't know if you noticed but I'm rotting over here. Let me have my mouth while it's still attached to my face, okay?" 

He expects her to laugh but she's sitting still, watching him. The sun is nearly set; her dark face is illuminated softly by the flickering flames. 

"You _are_ handsome, Raul. You just complain too much. Like I told you that first day, lotta better uses for your mouth." 

Raul coughs. 

"You play too much, boss." 

"Why do you think I'm playing?" 

One of her legs is stretched out, with the other propping up her head. She looks serious as she waits for his answer. 

"Are you kidding, León? Aside from this," Raul waves a hand over his body, "I'm old enough to be your ancestor." 

"I happen to like that," She mimicks his wave, "And I don't see what age has to do with anything." 

"Age has to do with everything, León. You'll learn that if you manage to survive another 20 years out here. Young, beautiful things like you aren't supposed to get with washed-up, rotting cowboys." 

She hums softly in response, scooting closer. Her knee touches his lightly, face inches away. 

"I think you're ignoring something here, Raul. I don't give a shit." 

She runs her thumb over his chin with a gentle motion and pulls his lips towards hers. Raul forgets the argument he was making and lets her kiss him, going as far as returning the kiss in a weak, resigned way. Galleon pulls back immediately. 

She watches him for a moment. Despite the briefness of the kiss, Raul's heartbeat is erratic and he worries that this will be what finally does him in. The old ghoul does his best to appear unphased under Galleon's intense stare. 

Galleon goes back to cooking like nothing happened. Raul watches her, unsure what to say or do. She speaks again as she's ladling mildly suspicious meat into a frothy broth. 

"I've taken everyone up here, you know. Took different lengths of time for each of 'em to make it here but eventually..." she trails off for a moment as she looks up at the deep dark blue surrounding them, "Why do you think I bring my favorite people all the way up here?" 

Raul shrugs vaguely, glancing around at the darkening skyline, unimpressed. 

"You like to make people sweaty, then kiss them when their guard's down?" 

Galleon laughs. She still sits too close to him, focused on the cooking stew. 

"You think I go around kissing the whole Armada? Granted, I fooled around with Cass a little, but that was ages ago." 

"See, that makes more sense, boss. Girl like you should be with-" 

"Enough." 

Galleon's voice is sharp as she cuts him off. Raul's mouth instantly shuts. She grits her teeth and they look sharper than usual. She's tense, as though tightening her muscles is the only way to contain her anger. Raul remembers his first impression of her. _La pantera_. 

"We can talk about us when you're in a better state of mind. Until then you will not put yourself down. Romance isn't why I brought you here anyway. Understand?" 

Raul grumbles an agreement without making eye contact. Galleon waits a few minutes before speaking, tapping her hands and feet until her body relaxes again. 

"I found this place before I was Galleon. I was a skinny little thing back then, could barely lift a shotgun. My mama died—not her fault, really, she just couldn't handle livin'—I do wish she didn't do it in front of me, though." 

Raul shifts, turning more towards her. She stares into the embers, so focused he half-believes he's not there. He moves to place his hand on hers but pulls back at the last second, his hand awkwardly falling into the dust beside her. It feels wrong, touching her, especially when the fire light softens her hard edges. 

"Anyway. I didn't have nobody else. Couldn't think or feel after she pulled the trigger. Felt like the only things I knew how to do were walk and breathe. So I did. No clue how I didn't die that first night. Fell asleep in one of those old tin campers. Sheer dumb luck something didn't come 'round and eat me." 

Mechanically, Galleon tastes a spoonful from the pot. She makes a soft 'tuh' and leaves it on the flame, tosses something resembling a vegetable in. 

"Second day, I see this cliff. Can see the smoke on top. Still not thinking, really, but I'm thirsty. So I start climbing," Galleon inhales deeply, "Finally get up here, and there's this man camped out. Rugged cowboy type. Here I am, scrawny, shell-shocked, still got my mama's brains on me." 

Galleon pauses for another taste test. Nodding her head slightly, she ladles the dish into two bowls, handing one to Raul wordlessly. He mutters a quiet thanks, clutches it tightly in his lap. 

"He'd probably been up here for years. Loaded himself up with supplies. Takes one look at me and starts thinking bad thoughts. Didn't know at first, too young. He acted all nice, sure. Cooing and coaxing. Sits me down, gives me the good water. Sits real close. Staring at me. Breathing on me." 

Galleon spoons food into her mouth between sentences as she speaks. She turns to face Raul and his untouched bowl. 

"Makes the mistake of touching my knee. Slides his hand all the way up. No mixed messages there. I snapped. Put my hand on his arm, all soft and nice. Like I liked it. Then I stuck it in the fire. He starts screaming and wailing, yanks himself away. Rollin' on the floor like a baby, saying he gonna kill me. I stand up and see he left a knife in the meat he was smoking." 

She adds seconds to her bowl. Raul picks at his own while he waits for her to speak again. It's good, but he struggles to lift the spoon to his mouth. 

"Sunk my foot in his squirming back, grabbed him by the hair and stuck it right in his neck. Before that second right there, I didn't feel nothing. But after. I was happy. He was gone and I was still here. They tell you murder changes you for the worse. It just woke me up." 

Galleon takes a long sip of broth. Raul shifts his weight anxiously. 

"Creep had plenty of goodies up here. Picked what looked good and started walking again. Didn't think about burying him. Left him here in the sun." 

She sets her bowl down and stokes the fire absently. Raul makes a mental note to look around for bones before he sets up his sleeping bag. 

"Eventually wandered around the desert so much the Express scooped me up. Lost track of my birthday at some point. Think I was 16 then. Had already done pretty much every job there is out here. Figured more walking would be easy. And it was, till, well." 

Galleon taps her scarred skull, smiling at the soft thump her finger makes on the skin. The fire makes her teeth look sharper. 

"They named me Galleon pretty quick. Ended up being the only name I could remember when the doc stitched me up. Galleon was all I was by then." 

She pulls out one of her favorite guns and starts cleaning it. He gives up pretending like he'll finish his meal and sets it aside, leaning forward to watch her. The only other person he's ever seen clean like that is Boone, and even he doesn't treat it like some sort of sacred experience. 

"I come back here every once in a while. Reminds me of what I'm capable of. Not that Vegas lets me forget. When I started up the Armada it just made sense to bring you all here, one by one."

Raul finally feels as though he's allowed to speak. 

"So you could tell us how you killed some guy who had it coming? You do that every day boss, 'cept I usually have a roof over my head." 

"You know that wasn't the point of this. Besides, roofs are overrated. Wait another hour, when you're on your back with all this," She gestures vaguely towards the sky, "Above you. Finish your dinner, ok?" 

Raul picks up his bowl obediently, sneaking glances at Galleon between reluctant bites. As he watches, she starts whistling again, and the pucker of her lips makes him queasy. He looks away. 

"Yeah, I'm sure the stars I've been seeing for two hundred years will make it worth it."


	6. Basin Full of Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fireside chat cut short.

The vastness of space is lit with thousands of bright stars. They shimmer far above, combining their light with that of the moon and the fire to illuminate the campsite in a soft, otherworldly glow. The silence of the desert is palpable here, settling over the campers like a heavy blanket. 

This is completely lost on Raul, who lays beside the fire fidgeting in his sleeping bag, frowning at the sky. 

"So, this makes it worth that ridiculous hike? Was really hoping a cake was gonna get air-delivered or something." 

"Well, I tried to order one, but for some reason all the phones I tried weren't working." 

Galleon lays beside him, making him uncomfortable with how close she's placed her bag. She's inches away, similarly turned to the sky, but her expression is radiant, peaceful. 

"Real funny, boss, real funny. You brought me up here for some stars and a story, huh?" 

"What, were you expecting something dirty? What kinda girl do you take me for, Señor Tejada?" 

Raul snorts, "Like that would ever happen." 

"Yeah, you seem like the type who needs to be romanced. Nice bottle of wine and a fluffy bed. You want me to play one of them old songs, get you in the mood?" 

"How romantic, boss. I didn't even do all that when I had girls." 

Galleon 'oohs' excitedly, turning to lay on her side and propping her head up to look at Raul. He turns his head to stare up at her, her face twisted into an expression of utmost delight. 

"So you had _girls_ , huh? Wouldn't have pinned you for a player." 

Raul recognizes his mistake by the pure glee in her teasing eyes and heaves a long, dramatic sigh. 

"I wasn't a player, León. I just didn't need to work for girls to want me." 

"Right, 'cause you were just sooo smooth they fell right into your arms. Did you even need to talk to them or did you just bat your eyelashes and their clothes fell off?" 

"The inside of your mind is a dark place." 

Raul watches the light catch in Galleon's teeth as she cackles, "You wouldn't last a day in here, _papi_. So, what was the patented Tejada Move?" 

"Tejada move?" 

"The move! There's always a move. No way they all just threw themselves at you without a little something. Was it a line?" 

"No idea what you're talking about, boss." 

"Was it cheesy and now you're embarrassed? It wasn't the yawn-then-over-the-shoulder was it?" 

"You can be really annoying sometimes, León. Let this old man get some sleep, will you? I'm tired." 

Raul huffs and turns away from her. After a few moments he hears her flop onto her back. There's the faintest sound of her fingers drumming against her skin. He sighs. 

"I played the guitar for them. Something about it got them going. For the ones I really wanted I'd sing too," Raul hears Galleon start to speak and cuts her off, "Haven't played since before the war. Love's a young man's game and it's been so long I don't think I could anyway." 

Galleon sighs and it scares him; he can't recall hearing her sigh with real feeling, only in an overdramatic manner. She stays silent for so long he begins to think she's fallen asleep. 

"You always find a way to work your age into everything, Raul. To be honest, it's getting on my damn nerves, and I don't have very many of those left. Go to sleep. We have places to be tomorrow." 

Raul remains turned towards the fire, staring into the coals. Eventually he hears Galleon's snores—a leftover from one of the times her nose had been broken—and only then can he fall asleep. In the morning he will complain about the noise, but he finds it increasingly harder to sleep without the rumble her crooked nose produces.

That scares him more than anything in the Mojave.


End file.
